Village Headman's Nephew Surrenders in Cambodia Arms Smuggling Case
A suspect wanted for smuggling war weapons from Cambodia into Thailand surrendered at Laem Ngob Police Station in Trat after two months in hiding. The man, identified as Sakarin and accompanied by his uncle who is a village headman, denied involvement in the arms trafficking. Police say testimony from multiple suspects conflicts and they are gathering evidence before deciding on charges; bail has been denied at the inquiry level.
Progress in the case of illegally smuggling war weapons from Cambodia into Thailand: a key suspect named in an arrest warrant, Sakarin, turned himself in at Laem Ngob Police Station in Trat province after fleeing to Cambodia for about two months. He was accompanied by his uncle, a village headman. Pol. Lt. Col. Jumpot Maniaphap, superintendent of Laem Ngob station, took his preliminary statement; the suspect denied any role in the weapons smuggling. Pol. Lt. Gen. Prathana Phanpha, commander of Trat Provincial Police, said the investigation still has many points to verify, especially conflicting testimony among suspects. Earlier, a detained suspect had blamed a civilian for the entire operation, but that person also denied the allegations. Investigators must gather witnesses and evidence to establish who is actually involved, and cannot conclude guilt based on one side's claims alone. The inquiry officer stated bail will not be granted during the investigation; any court bail request will be at the court's discretion. The case remains under investigation and detention proceedings continue.
